Her Determination
by AkibasOmega
Summary: This is a Standard, for The House Competition. Sybill worries about her interview for the Divinations position after a visit from relatives. Then the interview itself. She so badly wants the job. Slight OCness, no bad language or anything like that.


_House: Slytherin_

_Year: 5th_

_Class: Potions_

_Story Category: Standard_

_Prompt: [backstory or origin] Sybill Trelawney_

_Word Count: 1565_

Title: Her Determination

* * *

A/N: Slight OC Sybill Trelawney. It is my interpretation of before and how she got the Divination job, along with her thought process during it all.

(Word count with A/N: 1598)

* * *

"Sybill, you'll need to begin thinking about procuring a job. It is most obvious that your _gift_ isn't nearly as powerful as dear Cassandras. Perhaps it is time for our family to move on." Her Uncle sighed.

Sybill couldn't believe what they were telling her. The gift of Sight was all she had to call her own. No one else in her family had inherited any of Cassandra's gift. What was she supposed to do without it?

"Surely not, Uncle. I've done many readings and had several incidents. Surely those would be enough to make sure that my great-great-grandmothers gift does not disappear?"

The frizzy haired woman knew it would be a lost cause as she glanced around the room. Her Uncle and his family were being very adamant about this. She just sighed but nodded, anything to get them away from her. But she didn't want to give up on her gifts. They were hers, whether they liked it or not. And while she had gone through a period of making false predictions, surely some of those were real.

Sybill paced around the front room of the Inn, her remaining family had just left. She was extremely nervous about getting a job. She knew what her family said about her, that she was only half a Seer. It had hurt when they'd told her she'd never be as good as her highly loved and celebrated great-great-grandmother Cassandra. Only the fact that she'd been able to predict a fair few prophesies had kept her family at bay, but they never listened to her or heeded her words when they were spoken.

It was pure chance that a week ago, Sybill had heard a good bit of gossip, about the newest Hogwarts program. Divination. And while she was technically was a Seer, she _could_ teach others the art of Divination, but they would most likely not contain an ounce of the gift. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to do with her life, but it was probably the only thing she had left. The job would at least hold off her relatives a bit longer.

And so Sybill began getting ready, even though it was rather early for her interview. She honestly hadn't thought that Dumbledore would respond before the school term started, but she so badly wanted the job. Sybill had thought it weird when the correspondence had said that he would meet her at the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade. Did Dumbledore interview all his staff this way? It was certainly odd to her, even though she _had_ asked if it was possible, seeing as she was currently staying there.

The Seer didn't bother saying anything to anyone as she made her way down into the dingy interior of the pub, but she returned that waves that were aimed at her. No one gave her a second look, but then, shady people usually congregated there. It seemed like everyone knew she was related to Cassandra and expected many Prophecies from her, but she could never tell when she had one. Sybill hoped that she wouldn't space out during her interview, as she had a tendency to do so.

She chose a table near the back, hoping that it was semi-private enough for the interview. It would most likely be a hard sell to get Dumbledore to hire her. Sybill didn't have much in the way of talent for the other arts of Divination, though they weren't exactly _hard_ to perform. She just had to hope that something happened, just in case Dumbledore refused her the position. Not that anyone else would get it, the rumor mill had been adamant about the fact the Headmaster was going to remove it from the curriculum.

Honestly, Sybill thought it a very good idea. While it could be taught, one really had to have a gift for Divination. And not the gift of a Seer, just a gift of Seeing. There was so much about Divination that could be taught, but not used unless the student possessed an affinity for it. She certainly hoped that she might run across someone that had the affinity, but nothing had come so far.

Sometimes Sybill thought of herself as lucky, destined even, to hold Cassandra's gift. But then she wondered if it was actually a curse. To predict the death or misfortune of others, surely that in itself was a sort of burden, even if Seers never remembered what they'd said. And of course there were probably predictions of joy and fortune, but how many of those happened versus the bad? Sybill was often more confused by her gift than in awe of it.

She could remember being a child when she made her first prediction. Though her family had been sombre and quiet, they had been immensely proud that she'd inherited the gift. But as time went on and she began making less and less predictions, her family had sort of cast her aside. As if she had no value without her Sight. It had hurt. Alot. But there wasn't anything Sybill could have done, she guessed that some people grew out of gifts as they reached adulthood. She'd heard it often enough from her muggle mother.

But as Sybill sat at the grungy table, she steeled herself. She was bound and determined to get the Hogwarts position no matter what. It wasn't something she _wanted_ it was something she _needed_, quite desperately in fact. What else was she to do with herself? She wasn't some extraordinary witch that could do great magics, and she was a bit odd, or at least that was what the family had always said. It certainly wasn't her fault that she was different, but she liked herself well enough.

She stood shakily as Dumbledore entered the Inn, Sybill idly wondered if he'd agreed simply because his brother owned the place. Though she could tell that they didn't get along. The woman wondered if she'd touch both of them, if a prophecy would come out, but she shook away the silly notion. Unfortunately the powers of a Seer didn't work like that.

The headmaster smiled at her as he took a seat, "A Sybill, how wonderful to see you again. How are you?"

"I've been better." She replied, feeling overwhelmingly nervous. There was so much of her future riding on her receiving the position. "And yourself?"

"Oh busy busy. School starts in just a few months. Positions to fill and all that. Now, you are interested in the Divination position?" He asked.

Sybill nodded, "Yes. I learned recently you wanted to shut the class down. But I'd very much like to teach it."

And so the Dumbledore proceeded to test her in every aspect of the arts. Sybill knew as soon as she was handed a Tarot deck that the interview wouldn't end well. And she was right, five minutes in, the Headmaster had banished the deck before summoning something else. And it seemed to go on this way for nearly an hour before the Headmaster just sighed.

"I am sorry Sybill, but you don't appear to have retained much of the Arts." He looked contrite enough as he leaned back in his chair.

"Please Dumbledore, one more chance?" She all but begged, in a hurried tone.

"I'm afraid not, dear girl. But you gave it a good shot." There was nothing she could do to stop him, as he stood to leave.

Sybill on the other hand became unfocused, she was a mess on the inside. Not at all sure what she would do now that she'd been rejected. Perhaps there was something she could give the Headmaster in order to secure the teaching position? But what could that possibly be? Everything felt jumbled and mixed up. She was so sure that she'd pass each of the tests that Dumbledore would give her, but there they sat and she'd been denied. What more was she supposed to show the Headmaster? There wasn't much else to Divination than she'd already showed. What else was she supposed to do with her life now?

"Sybill?" The Headmaster called out to her.

Shaking herself off, she focused on the Headmaster. Had she spaced out again? It hadn't happened to her in a while, nor could she remember her thoughts. Though Sybill thought they'd been talking about how he was terminating the position. Apparently, she'd been his last chance of keeping it open. He looked shocked and genuinely happy with her though. Sybill wondered what could have changed Dumbledore- no the Headmasters emotions so much.

"You've got the position, my dear girl. Congratulations." He beamed at her.

Sybill just stared at him. Her heart was thumping in elation, she'd done it! Floored by his change of heart, but grateful for it nonetheless. Finally, she would be able to do more. Have the chance to prove her family wrong. Look at her now, a teacher! And it was all thanks to her determination.


End file.
